Method of manufacturing boots and shoes.



B. J. HAMILTON. METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1912.

1, 1 10,323. Patented Sept. 15, 1914..

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

B. J. HAMILTON. METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BOOTS AND SHOES. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1912. 1, 1 1 0,323, Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES A ENT OFFICE- IBENJAMIN J. HAMILTON, 0F HAVERHILL, lVLAfiSqUhUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, or rA'rEn-so v, New mnsnv', A CORPORATION or new JERSEY.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BOOTS AND SHOES.

Original application filed May 22, 1911,

slices.

Heretofore shoes have been made by assembling an innersole, and an upper (comprising a vamp, quarters, etc. stitched together) upon a last and pulling-over and lasting the shoe by manipulations'of the upper which include pulling upon the margin of the forepart of the vamp in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the last bottom or otherwise to stretch and conform the toe portion of the vamp to the shape of the toe portion of the last and then drawing over the last bottom after which it is fastened by tacks or other securing devices to the innersole. The frictional contact of the upper, or the lining, with the surface of the lastover which it is being so shaped greatly retards the stretching of the middle portion of the upper and asa matter of fact the marginal portion of the vamp only is thoroughly stretched in making shoes in this way. As a result of this unequal stretching the reaction of the leather after removal of the shoe from the last is unequal in different parts of the vamps, thus tending to produce wrinklesjand to cause the shape of the shoe to departfrom that of the last. In accordance with this invention this difficulty is overcome by subjecting the vamp, prep'ara tory to assembling it with the innersole upon the last over which it is to be finally shaped, and of course prior to the pulling-over and lasting operations, to a preliminary toe shaping operation in which the middle portion of the vamp is subjected to stretching and shaping to an extent and under conditions which it is difiicult if not impossible to obtain during the pulling-over or the lasting of an ass mbled shoe, In this preliminary Specification of Letters lfatent.

1912. Serial Nb. 714,221.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914:.

Serial No. 628,642. Divided and this application filed August 9,

toe shaping operation the marginal portion of the fo-repart of the vamp is confined at opposite edges and stress is applied to the unconfined portion to stretch and shape the unconfined portion, as for example to a forepart form. The vamp is preferably allowed to set until it acquires the approximate shape of the form, after which it is freed from the form and subsequently is assembled with the innersole upon a last and is lasted. The subsequent lasting operation on a shoe so prepared is greatly facilitated by the results of the preliminary shaping because the middle portion of the shoe will have been stretched and shaped approximately to fit the top face of the last and it remains for the laster to perfect this shaping and to stretch and shape the vamp in detail along its margin over the edge and bottom of the shoe and fasten it.

This invention e ects an economy in labor cost as well as some economy in a portion of the shoe upper stock which is very expensive not only because the more complete stretchingto which the vamp is subjected makes possible the use of less stock in the vamp blank but also because the preliminary shaping of the vamp to the high portions of the toe, and preferably the instep, allows the vamp when subsequently applied to its last in the. assembling operation to fit down closer over the top of the last than an unshaped vamp will do and therefore the mar girl of a preliminarily shaped vamp which is actually smaller than an unshaped one will extend as far up the sides of the last into position to be engaged by the grippers of the pulling-over and the lasting machines. For these reasons Vamps which are to be treated in accordance with this invention may be out enough smaller than heretofore to effect a material saving in vamp stock. Also the shoe produced by preliminarily shaping the vamp preparatory to lasting is improved in appearance because it more completely and more permanently conformed to the shape of the last than is usual or than can be'done otherwise without excessive labor cost.

I have found that greatly improved results can'be secured by preliminarily shaping the upper in the presence of moisture or heat and that the best results in stretch ing without injuring the stock and in prmanently shaping the vamp inits stretched condition are obtained by moistening the portion of the stock which is to stretch prior to or during the stretching and by heating the stock while it is being shaped in its stretched condition.

In practising this method in the best way which I have discovered I therefore spread out the fore-part of a vamp and after confining its margin apply moisture to the unconfined portion and then press the unconfined portion out of the plane of the confined portion to stretch it and shape it to the contour of the engaging face of the presser, beginning locally over the high part of the toe. I apply heat to the vamp by heating the presser and the pressure is continued u ntil the engaged portion of the vamp hasset or acquired the shape of the presser, after which the work is released. Subsequently the upper having the preliminarily shaped vamp is assembled with an inncrsole upon a last and the lasting of the shoe is proceeded with.

The moistening of the upper stock has a particular importance if the vamp is lined with cloth, as is usual, because the cloth used for such purposes contains a dressing by reason of which it keeps its shape while dry. Moisture, however, softens this dressing and allows the cloth lining to stretch and be'shaped with the vamp leather. I therefore preferably apply the moisture to the inner side of lined Vamps and the heat, which may be applied through the presser, causes the moisture to penetrate the leather rapidly and, with the moisture, facilitates the setting of the vamp to the shape of the presser.

An important advantage of thus applying moisture to the unfinished side of the materials, and applying heat to the finished side, especially in vamp shaping operations in shoe manufacture, is that the materials are thoroughly moistened and heated to facilitate the molding operation without the danger of staining or discoloring the finished side of the materials through the application of the moisture directly to this side.

Conveniently, and in accordance with the preferred way of practising this invention, the vamp is outspread, lining side down, over a moistening means, such as a brush or a vapor distributer and under a forepart form which, after the lining has been moistened, is depressed to apply stress to the unconfined portion of the vamp and shape it wrong side out.

As has been before mentioned, one of the serious obstacles to thorough stretching and permanent shaping of the forepart of a vamp is the friction of the middle portion of the vamp, or the lining, against the last over which they are stretched by tension applied to their margins in pulling-over and lasting.

It is one of the objects of this invention to eliminate this difficulty and obtain the thorough stretching of the middle portion of the vamp which has before been lacking, with the attendant advantages above sug gested. To this end I preferably stretch the forepart of a vamp while holding it out of such frictional contact with engaging surfaces as would materially obstruct or retard free stretching of the middle portion of the Vamp, and I thereafter shape the initially stretched vamp to the contour of a toe form. To do this the vamp is advantageously outspread and its margin confined and then the vamp is stretched in a plane. After this initial general tensioning throughout its width, while it is free to stretch in the middle, local stretching of the middle portion of the vamp over the top of the toe, and it may be over the top of the instep, may advantageously be effected to shape the upper to the forepart form. This may be done by pressure, as of a forepart form, applied against the unconfined portion of the vamp and directed perpendicularly to the plane of the initial stretching. The local stretching over the high parts of the last may be largely additional to the initial stretching and as the form is further depressed against or into the vamp for shaping the vamp approximately to the contour of the form the confined marginal portions may or mav not be allowed to yield and wrap up the sides of the form. I will now explain more in detail how the invention may be practised. 'While the invention may be employed without the aid of machinery I prefer to practise it with the aid of an apparatus which I have described and claimed in a prior application Serial No. 628,642, filed May 22, 1911 for upper stretching machine of which this present application is a division and the practise of this present invention will be explained with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which, 7

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the machine referred to; Fig. 2 is a side elevation largely in section; Fig. 3 shows the margin of the vamp and lining confined and the unconfined portion tensioned in a single plane and moistened ready to be shaped; Fig. 4 shows the application of lo-' cal stretching force, heat being applied by the former to the unconfinedportion of the vamp over the top of the toe and the instep; Fig. 5 shows further shaping of the stretched vamp being effected by the former; Fig. 6 shows the stretched and shaped vamp released and being assembled with an innersole upon a last; Fig. 7 shows the shoe, includlng the shaped vamp, lasted,

' down too far.

vamp in a single plane.

In practising the invention with the aid of the illustrated apparatus the margin of the forepart of the vamp is confined at the toe end between jaws 25, 26 and at the opposite side edges between gripper jaws 40, 45, the aws being closed by the vertically movable carrier 30 for the jaw 26 which acts on jaws 45 through the wedge 55 and levers 52, continued movementof which after the jaws have been closed, efi'eets relative move ment of the unconfined portion'of the vamp and the confined side edges for stretching, as in Fig. 3, the unconfined portion of the This is done while said unconfined portion is out of such frietional contact with engaging surfaces as would retard free stretching of the middle portion of the vamp. By continued movement of the carrier 30 local stretching of the middle portion of-the vamp over the top of the toe, and preferably over the to of the instep, is produced by brin'gingthe orepart former 96 down, as in Fig. 4, upon the tensioned vamp in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the initial stretching. Further shaping of the vamp to the former is efii'ected by depressing the former into the vamp as in Fig. 5, the side grippers preferably being allowed to move inwardly in response to the action of the former upon the vamp.

Moisture is applied by the brush 68 which is actuated, through a connection 7 6, 82 with the wedge carrier 30, to move acrossthe unconfined portion of the vamp at the beginning of the stretching operation and back again across thetensioned or partially tensioned vamp before the former 96 comes The moistening material is shown as liquid heated by steam and is shown as being applied directly to the lining the starch or. dressing of which it softens. The moisture of course is absorbed from the lining into the vamp.

The heat is applied to the vamp through the forepart former or presser 96 in which is an electrical heater 99. The heat renders the vamp more pliable for shaping to the former and it co-acts with the moisture in causing the vamp more effectively to set or acquire, more or less permanently, the shape given to it by the forepart former. The

vamp is shaped wrong side out largely as a matter of convenience in practising this in vention but it is to be understood that it is not necessary to do so although the action of the properly heated former on the finished surface of the "amp is beneficial on certain kinds of stock. After the vamp has become sufficiently set it is freedcfrom engagement with the former 96 and the jaws 2'), 26, 40. 45 and the shaped portions are turned right side out. The vamp thus prepared forlasting is assembled with an innersole, Fig. 6, upon a last and is lasted over lastbottom, Fig. 7.

Having explained the invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. That improvement in methods of making shoes which includes, as preliminary steps preparatory to lasting, confining the margin of the forepart of the vamp at opposite edges, effecting a relative movement of the confined and the unconfined portions and shape the unconfined portion to a forepart form while retaining the unconfined portion entirely within the boundary of the inner edge of the confined portion, allowing the vamp to set until it acquires the shape of the form, and then freeing it from the form; and subsequently assembling the upper and an innersole upon a last and then stretching and shaping to a last those portions of the upper not shaped in the preliminary operation and folding inwardly over the last bottom the portion of the vamp which was confined during said preliminary operation.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in confining the margin of the forepart of a vamp and shaping the vamp locally over the high part of the toe by pressing it at that point away from the plane of the confined portion of the margin while the other parts of the unconfined portion of the vamp are free from frictional resistance which would retard them from stretching, and continuing the pressure to force other parts of the unconfined portions away from said plane and shape them to other portions of the top face of a forepart form.

8. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in spreading the forepart of avamp and confining its margin, applying moisture to the unconfined portion only, pressing the unconfined portion out of the plane of the confined portion to stretch it and shape it to the contour of the engaging face of the presser, and applying. heat to the portion being pressed upon until it has set or acquiredthe shape of the presser.

.4. That improvement in methods of making shoes which includes, as a preparation for lasting the shoe, confining the margin of the forepart of the vamp of a shoe upper and pressing the unconfined portion of the vamp inthe presence of heat and moisture out of the plane of the confined portion to stretch it and shape it to the contour of the engaging face of the presser and continuing the pressure until the engaged portion of the vamp has set or. acquired the shape of the presser and then releasing the vamp: and subsequently assembling the shaped upon and secured to the innersole upon the of said forepart in a direction transverse to the plane of the confined portion to stretch I2; menses upper with an innersole upon a last and lasting the shoe by stretching the marginal portion of the vamp over the edge of the last and fastening it to the innersole on the last bottom.

'lhat improvement in methods of making shoes which includes, as a preparation for lasting the shoe, confining the margin of the forepart of the vamp, pressing the unconfined portion out of the plane of the confined portion by pressure applied to the outer face of the vamp and acting to shape it reversely or wrong side out approximately to the contour which it is to have in the completed shoe; and then freeing the vamp; and subsequently turning the shaped vamp right side out, assembling it with an innersole upon a last and lasting the shoe.

6. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in stretching the fcrepart of a vamp and then applying pressure to the stretched vamp in .the presence of moisture and heat to shape the vamp in its stretched condition.

7. .That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in stretching the forepart of the vamp of a shoe upper and, while the stretching of the stock is in progress, applying moisture to the portion of the vamp only which is being stretched.

8. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in tensioning the forepart of a vamp hile it is held outof such frictional contact With engaging surfaces as would materially obstruct free stretching of the middle portion of the vamp, and then shaping the vamp to the contour of a toe form.

9. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in tensioning the forepart of a vamp While it is held out of such frictional contact with engaging surfaces as would materially obstruct free stretching of the middle portion of the vamp, and then, by pressure applied substantially perpendicularly to the direction of the stretching force, shaping the middle portion of the vamp to substantially the contour of the toe of the shoe.

10. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in tensioning the forepart of a vamp While it is held out of such frictional contact with engaging surfaces as would materially obstruct free stretching of the middle portion of the vamp, and then locally stretching the middle portion of the vamp to shape it to the high portion of a last.

11. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in stretching the forepart of a vamp transversely through its Width in a plane and then, while holding it under tension, applying local pressure over the toe and the instep to force those portions of the vamp out of the plane and locally stretch those portions.

12. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in stretching a vamp and a cloth lining and moistening the lining to reduce the resistance ofiered by the dressing thereof to the stretching force and then shaping the stretched vamp and lining to adapt them to the contour of the toe of the last upon which the shoe is to be made.

13. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in stretching a vamp and a cloth lining, applying moisture to the lining, and shaping the vamp and lining so treated to the contour of the toe of a last by pressure and heat.

14. That improvement in methods. of making shoes which consists in stretching a vamp and a cloth lining together, moistening the lining, and applying heat to the vamp While it is under tension.

15. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in stretching a vamp and a cloth lining in a single plane, and then forcing the middle of the vamp out of that plane in the presence of moisture and heat to shape the work for the last.

16. That improvement in methods of.

17. That improvement in methods of,

preparing shoe upper materials for conforming smoothly to the contour of an end portion of the last Which consists in applying moisture to the lining portion of the shoe upper materials, and applying forming pressure in the presence of heat to the finished side of the upper to soften and shape the leather of the upper.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

BENJAMIN J. HAMILTON.

\Vitnesses JAMEs T. FITZGERALD, GEORGE W. PERKINS. 

